142 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING 



mostly grayish, and the tail is usually gray, but some- 

 times tinged with reddish. 



B. umbellus sabini is dark reddish, with little or no 

 gray. This is the northwest coast form, found in the 

 region of great precipitation, and by many is consid- 

 ered the most beautiful of the ruffed grouse. 



The descriptions of these sub-species do not always 

 give a very clear idea of the grouse of the regions the 

 various forms are supposed to inhabit. The center of 

 such a region, no doubt, will be occupied by birds of 

 the typical form. On the border lines, however, where 

 the sub-species tend to meet, individuals may some- 

 times be found that are typical of some taken thousands 

 of miles away. 



The length of the ruffed grouse varies from 16 to 

 19 inches. The wing measures from 7 to 7^ inches, 

 and the tail from 5/^ to 7 inches. The extent of wing 

 varies from 22 to 25 inches, and the bird commonly 

 weighs from 21 or 22 up to about 30 ounces. Grouse 

 are often reported to weigh 2% or 2^/2 pounds; but it 

 may be doubted if birds so heavy are ever found. 



The ruffed grouse is the best known and most highly 

 esteemed of the game birds of the North, and in Can- 

 ada, New England, northern New York, Pennsylvania, 

 Michigan and Wisconsin it is now the most important 

 of the upland birds. 



In the South the bird is called "pheasant," and in 

 the North, especially in the Northeast, "partridge" 

 both misnomers, since it is neither. In parts of Canada 



